Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-06-28

! Shortly before the bodies OF the
Eve miners on the 400,level were
found, Roger Pendergast, foreman Of
the Savage and Hale & Norcross, and
John Grant, shift boss, after several
attempts to reach the men on the 800.
level from the Savage side finally
gained the south line of the Best &
Belcher, whore they found the five
miners mentioned above as employed
on that level in the face Of the line
crosscut taking air from the pipe.
They were oil right, and followed the
Savage incline. through which they
assembled by giraffe to the surface
They had made an attempt to save
themselves on discovering the pres.
ence Of FIRE by trying to escape
through the Savage, but ON encoun.
tering more gas as they proceeded
south. they concluded the fire was in
the latter mine, and retreated back
to where they could get air, and had
relinquished all hope OF reaching the
surface alive when their rescuers ar
rived.
THE MEN IMPRISONED ON THE 1900.
The men employed on the 1900
level rang several danger signals soon
after the FIRE was first discovered. At
the time the bell rang the cage was
at the station on that level. To at
tempt to rescue them through the
shaft was impossible, as lighted can
die held over its mouth was instantly
extinguished.
The only avenue of escape open to
them was to descend through the
Gould & Curry incline to the Sutro
tunnel level, and thence to the drift
on the 1750.level leading to the
c. & c. shaft. Superintendent Patton
and rescuing party descended to the
1850 level through the G. & G. shaft,
and on reaching the part where the
incline connects with the Sutro tun.
mel level they found that the 1900 sta
ton of the Gould & Curry shaft was
a mass of flames.
WHY A BULKHEAD WAS BUILT.
As soon as he discovered that there
was no chance for the imprisoned men
to escape in that direction, Mr.. Patton
Immediately ordered the construction
of bulkhead to smother the fire BY
shutting off the draft.
1t might be supposed that the effect
of this bulkhead would be to shut of
the air from the men in the 1900 drift
of the Curry. On the contrary, its
effect will be to shut of the air from
the fire, thereby causing it to smoul-
der, and allowing a possible rescue OF
the men through the shaft.
Another good effect of this bulk
head will be to keep the fire away
from the air-pipes, on the preserva-
ton of which depends the hope of
saving the men.
MR.. PATRONS NARROW ESCAPE.
Superintendent Patton had a mar
row escape from death. When he
reached the Gould & Curry incline
connected with the Sutro tunnel level
he attempted to ascend it, and sue
decided in climbing upward few feet
when the sparks from the fire on the
15OO-level began falling SO thick and
fast that he was forced to retreat. He
had just reached the drift connecting
with the incline when a mass of burn
ing timbers tumbled down to within
a few feet of where he was standing.
His foresight In closing the draft by
erecting bulkhead to cut off the con-
nection between the FIRE and the G. &
c. shaft is conceded to have resulted
in the subduing Of the FIRE.
NATIVITY AND AGES OF THE VICTIMS.
John Trounce has a wife and two
daughters. He was native of Eng.
land, about 80 years of age.
r. G. Bruce was a native of the
United States, single, and about "a
years Of age.
Andrew Bean was native oi
County Galway, Ireland, A years Of
age. He leaves a wife and eight chill.
dren.
Joncey Morgan, native of Nevada
"A years of age. He leaves a wife.
9. w. Carpenter was a native O
the United States, about ~ years O.
age. He leaves a wife.